iSmashPhone summarizes a pair of reports from China claiming that Apple is facing a potential 240 million yuan ($38 million) fine from governmental authorities over alleged trademark infringement involving the "iPad" name. The fine pales, however, in comparison to the $1.6 billion Proview Technology, which claims to own the name, is seeking to win in a series of lawsuits filed against Apple. Proview is also said to be seeking an apology from Apple and an injunction preventing the company from using the iPad name in China.
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Proview first accused Apple of trademark infringement back in 2010, claiming that it had owned the mark in China since 2000 and seeking a settlement from Apple in the range of $800 million. Apple fired back with its own lawsuit claiming that it did own the "iPad" rights in China after having purchased European rights from Proview's parent company for just $55,000.
With Proview having filed a 10 billion yuan ($1.6 billion) suit against Apple in the meantime, Apple lost its suit when a court ruled that the Chinese rights had not been included in the purchase because the parent company did not hold the authority to sell them.
Apple is appealing the December ruling in favor of Proview, and any potential government fines or resolution to Proview's case against Apple appear to be waiting for that case to be resolved.
Top Rated Comments
Bringing jobs over to them and now they turn back and bite you. Ouch!!! That's how communists (China) do things.
So by your reasoning, Capitalists wouldn't sue over possible trademark infringement ? That's idiots for you.
Apple should troll China and not sell iPads then. Make the country will suck Apple in a moist fashion.
And when the country makes it difficult for Apple to produce iPads, iPods, iPhones, MacBook Airs, MacBook Pros, Apple TVs, etc., etc. in its factories... then what?
I say change the name to democracy. Then all the Chinese people would want democracy...